Automatic fluid-signal and air connection.



A. E. SQUYARS. AUTOMATIC FLUID SIGNAL AND AIR CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1909.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 COLUMBIA PLANUORAP" cuuwasumm'nm D. \L

A. E. SQUYARS. AUTOMATIC FLUID SIGNAL AND AIR CONNECTION.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 6, 1909.

1,012,469. Patented Dec.19,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII co. WASHINGTON. D, c.

A. B. SQUYARS. AUTOMATIC FLUID SIGNAL AND AIR CONNECTION.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.6,1909.

1,012,469. Patented Dec. 19,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2- o 24 M- 4!, 40 3 4 s 4 2 4 22 l O 0 519 4 3 37 o o Zlnuzntoz War UNITED STATES OFFICE.

ALEXANDER E. SQU'YARS, OF LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO MALCOLM G. MCKAY, OF LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC FLUID-SIGNAL AND AIR CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed November 6, 1909. Serial No. 526,619.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER E. Sour- ARS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laurinbnrg, in the county of Scotland and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fluid-Signal and Air Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic aircouplers for railway cars, the object of the invention being to provide a coupler which is adapted to automatically interlock with an opposing coupling, and which is provided with means for automatically opening the air valves when the couplings are in their coupled positions and for closing the valves when the couplings are in their uncoupled positions.

The above mentioned and other objects are attained by the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as disclosed on. the drawings, set forth in this specification, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views :Figure l is a bottom plan view of my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the coupler. Fig. 3 is a detail front end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of two opposing couplings coupled with each other. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a slightly modified form of the invention. Fig. 7 is a top plan view with parts broken away to more clearly disclose the invention.

l/Vith particular reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the characters A and B designate opposing couplings which are mounted upon the adjacent end portions of cars A and B. The couplings are of course arranged in rights and lefts, that is, the fluid conveying pipes of one coupling are arranged in the reverse order of those of the opposing coupling whereby the fluid pipes of one coupling will'aline with those of the opposite coupling in the connection thereof, otherwise the couplings are each substantially identically constructed and therefore it is thought that a description of one will suffice for both.

The coupling consists of a guide member 1 which has formed integrally therewith supporting brackets 2 which may be secured to the car by suitable Fastening means. The outer end oi. the guide member is open and the inner end is closed by a head 3, the said head being formed with a central aperture 4 in which the stem 5 of the coupling head 6 is slidably mounted. A helical expansion spring 7 surrounds the stem 5 and it has its outer end seated against the inner end of the head (i, the inner end of the said spring being seated against the head 3 of the guide member so that the spring exerts its tension to normally hold the head (3 in an extended position. A stop pin 8 is secured to the rear end of the stem 5 and it engages the head to limit the sliding movement of the stem 5 in one direction and to hold the head 6 effectively against displacement from the guide member. 'lhehead (S provided with' an enlarged outer portion 9 which is formed at one side with a socket member 10 and at the other side with a guide stem 11. The walls of the socket member 10 are flared outwardly, as shown. Upon reference to Figs. l and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the stem 11 and guide member 10 of one head oppose the guide member and stem respectively of the other coupling, the said elements being arranged for interlocking engagement and they serve the purpose of holding the couplings operatively positioncd with respect to each other. The enlarged portion 9 of the head is formed with horizontally disposed passages 12, 13 and 14, the passage 12 having slidable therein a socket head 15, the passage 13 having a socket head 16 and the passage 14. has a socket head 17, each head being provided at its open outer end with a gasket 18 fora purpose to be hereinafter described. The socket head 15 is slidable upon an air intake pipe 19 which may be connected with the train line signal pipe. The socket head 16 is slidable upon a steam pipe 20 which may be connected with the boiler of a locomotive for conveying steam to the heating system. The head '17 is slidable upon an air pipe 21 which may be connected with the train line pipe, which latter is of a construction common to the well known air brake system. A helical spring 29 bears against each of the socket heads to hold it normally in its eX- tended position. The pipe 19 is provided with a valve 23 and the pipe 20 is provided with a valve 24. A rotary valve stem 25 is operatively connected with the valves for simultaneously opening and closing them, and as shown, the said stem has secured thereto a pinion 26 which meshes with a rack bar 27 the latter being pivoted at its inner end for horizontal movement to a vertically movable bracket 28. This bracket 28 is secured to one side of the guide member 1 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pipe 21 is connected to a plurality of short pipe sections 29 which are connected with each other for universal movement so that the coupling member will be free for either vertical, horizontal or angular movement. The pipe 20 is connected with a plurality of short pipe sections 30, these sections being also connected with each other for universal movement. The pipe 19 is connected in a similar manner to a plurality of pipe sections 31. The innermost pipe sections are suitably connected to the guide member 1 by brackets or equivalent supports 32.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the coupling head 6 is in its extended position and the stem 25 which is journaled upon the head has been rotated to close the valves 23 and 24. WVhen the opposing coupling heads shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are connected with each other their engagement with each other will move the coupling heads inwardly, compressing the springs 7 slightly and rotating the valve stem 25 to open the valves 23 and 24. It will be appreciated that the construction described sets forth an automatic coupler wherein the valves connecting the air and steam pipes will be automatically operated when the cars are coupled with each other or when they are moved into their uncoupled positions. The gaskets 18 which are at the outer ends of the socket heads 15, 16 and 17 when engaged with corresponding gaskets of an opposing coupling form perfect air tight joints as will be appreciated. As shown in Fig. 3 the sockets 12, 13 and 14 are square in vcross section to prevent rotation therein of the sliding socket heads. Each supply pipe is provided with the ordinary form of hose and hose coupling 33 and 34 respectively, so that a car equipped with my form of coupling when coupled with another car having the usual form of coupling will be equipped for the occasion.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the coupling head 35 has its slidable socket heads 37 provided with short flexible pipes 38 which are each connected with a series of pipe sections 39. These pipe sections are similar to those described in the preferred form of my invention but they may be of any well known construction. The guide member 40 has pivoted thereto for horizontal movement a yoke 41 whose I lower arm 42 is channeled longitudinally to form a guideway. .The upper arm 43 is formed upon its underside with a series of teeth which are adapted to be engaged with the teeth of a sprocket wheel 44. The sprocket wheel is mounted upon an operating shaft 45 which is connected with the air and steam valves 46 and 47. The construction of the yoke 41 is such that the sprocket wheel has a portion thereof disposed between the walls of the guideway which is formed in the lower bar 42, this arrangement serving to hold the teeth of the bar 43 operatively engaged at all times with the teeth of the sprocket wheel. Thisform of my invention with regard to the, remaining elements of the coupling is identical with that described in the preferred form and a further detailed description is thought unnecessary.

I cla1m: 1. A coupling comprlsing a yieldlngly supported horizontally and angularly. movable head having a series of fluid-conveying means, a plurality of valves operatively connected with a corresponding number of the said fluid-conveying means, a rotary gearcarrying shaft connected with the valves,

and rack means meshing with the gear and adapted to revolve the shaft in sliding movement of the head to open the valves when the coupling is engaged with an opposing coupling and for closing the valves when the coupling 1s disengaged.

2. A coupling comprising a fixed member, v

a spring tension sliding member supported by the said fiXed member and provided with spring tension apertured heads and fluidconveying pipes adapted to communicate with the heads, valves located in the fiuid conveying pipes, a rack bar supported by the said fixed member, and geared connections between the rack member and the valves.

3. A coupling of the character described comprising a yieldingly mounted socket member having a series of fluid receiving heads, a plurality of valves operatively connecting a corresponding number of said fluid receiving heads, a single shaft operatively connected with the valves, a rack bar supported by the socket member, and a gear on the valve shaft meshing with the said rack bar.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER E. SQUYARS.

WVitnesses P. D. MOINTOSH, JULIA C. PATE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

